Top 10 CMS Platforms: 2022

What is a CMS?

CMS stands for content management system. It refers to any software application that allows users to build and manage a website without coding. A CMS enables you to create, manage, modify, and publish different content on a user-friendly interface. To make the website your own, you can customise the design and functionality of your site by downloading templates and extensions that will allow for greater personalisation and user capability.

Read on to find out what factors need to be considered when choosing the right CMS for your business and the top CMS platforms of 2022.

CMS vs Website Builder

While the terms CMS and website builder are often used synonymously, there are differences between the two. For example, using a website builder is sufficient if you’re looking to simply build a website and utilise web hosting. You can purchase a custom domain and customise the site’s appearance to best suit your business needs.

However, a website builder will not give you as much flexibility as a content management system. A CMS provides more advanced features and customisation options. It allows for more control with multimedia, organising your content by categories, and managing a larger and more complex website that will grow with your business over time. Hence, when it comes to the debate of CMS vs website builder, choosing a high-quality content management system is more beneficial in the long term.

How to Choose a CMS?

Choosing the right content management system can make a world of difference in terms of how you run your business. Hence, there are a few things to remember when deciding on a CMS system for your needs:

·   Choose a CMS that can quickly grow and scale with your business

·   Your CMS solution should be capable of supporting new channels

·   Choose a CMS that you can test before completely adapting to

·   Ensure the CMS has a user-friendly interface

·   Ensure it can support integrations with other apps and services

·   Have a vision for how you want your website to look

Top CMS Platforms

Wondering what the best CMS platforms are? We’ve outlined the top 10 CMS systems to consider in 2022. Take your business to the next level with the following content management systems:

1. WordPress

Wordpress landing page

When it comes to content management systems, WordPress is one of the most popular and most efficient. Building a highly functional website requires a CMS that can account for scalability and flexibility, and that’s exactly what WordPress does. With 43% of websites utilising WordPress as their CMS, it’s no secret that the platform works for all levels of users.

Whether you’re looking to start a simple blog or create a complex website that includes a range of plugins and integrations, WordPress is the content management system for you. In addition, the CMS manages a gallery of over 58,000 WordPress plugins – allowing users to create any type of website they desire.

WordPress is an affordable option as the amount you pay depends on the features you’re looking for. For example, the more complex your site, the more you’ll have to pay for the CMS. Hence, the cost of managing a WordPress site is flexible to individual needs and budgets.

Choose WordPress for a content management system that allows for user management, media management, and built-in comments.

2. Magento

Magento landing page

Magento is one of the highest-quality e-commerce CMS builders on the market. With a major emphasis on security, SEO, and customisation, Magento is the perfect choice for when you’re looking to optimise your e-commerce site.

Magento is used to manage large online stores and, therefore, can feature a high number of products and orders. There are some main advantages associated with Magento, including managing multiple stores in various locations while using different languages and currencies. Additionally, content management is responsive to mobile devices, meaning you can play around with your website on the go and maintain your content management system from wherever you need to be.

Magento allows you to display your products on a website through its catalogue management feature. This showcases products virtually using inventory management and product creation. So if you’re running a medium to large-scale e-commerce store and looking for the best CMS for SEO, consider Magento as your go-to content management system.

3. Shopify

Shopify landing page

Are you looking to launch an online store? One of the most popular and efficient ways of doing so is by using Shopify as your content management system. Shopify is an all-in-one CMS ideal for retailers looking to sell their products online.

With a drag-and-drop interface that is extremely easy to learn, Shopify is an ideal choice for anyone beginning their e-commerce journey. This e-commerce CMS builder will manage your website’s technical aspects, including hosting, managing updates, backups, and installing software.

Simply use Shopify’s templates and themes to design your company’s visual identity and start selling products to thousands of customers online. In addition, Shopify allows you to integrate your store using various third-party applications and interfaces.

4. HubSpot CMS

Hubspot landing page

HubSpot is one of the top CMS options when creating a website, bypassing the need for constant updates and edits. It caters to all skill levels and is perfect for beginners as the platform contains user-friendly tools that can help you publish a website even if you do not possess the technical knowledge to do so.

You can quickly increase your reach and engagement using the platform’s integrated sales and marketing tools. In addition, HubSpot emphasises the impact email marketing and social media can have on your business. Therefore, it provides a range of tools to optimise both marketing strategies.

While HubSpot does not provide a large gallery for plugins and themes like other CMS platforms, it still has its own set of benefits. For example, one of its key features is its ability to form smart content. This means you can personalise the content and call-to-actions on your website by analysing insights and information from your visitors. Additionally, HubSpot includes a design manager tool and evaluates your content to make integrated SEO recommendations. So if you’re looking for the best CMS for SEO, choose HubSpot.

5. Contentful

Contentful landing page

Contentful is referred to as a headless CMS – meaning that the content shown is not connected to a webpage and instead uses an Application Programming Interface (API) to showcase content as data. The platform provides a steep learning curve for technical users by having access to raw data.

Contentful is mainly utilised by companies or individuals creating a custom website that incorporates other digital platforms. This can include web browsers and mobile apps – ensuring that it is entirely flexible with different types of content.

Its key features include user management, content modelling where you can organise different types of content, including images and text, and the addition of app frameworks. This allows you to integrate additional applications from third-party sources and optimise your tools and functions accordingly.

6. Kentico

Kentico landing page

Kentico is another headless CMS that utilises an API to oversee its cloud-based content management software. It works well to deliver content efficiently and with ease on a range of different digital platforms. In addition, it includes excellent marketing tools that allow you to reach beyond your target audience and engage with visitors.

If you’re looking for a simple way to enhance your digital strategy, then choose Kentico. This content management system is highly beneficial for e-commerce and optimising your online marketing tools. In addition, it sets you up with high-quality protection as you can implement the latest security protocol and data backup features for your website.

Key features of Kentico include a built-in spell check that catches all typos on your website, the capacity for scheduling tasks and running summary reports when needed, and lead scoring, which allows you to gain an insight into your visitors’ journey and behaviour when using your site.

7. Sitefinity  

Sitefinity landing page

Sitefinity is the optimal CMS platform for digital marketing purposes. You can easily navigate the platform and create a personalised journey for your visitors. One of the main benefits that make Sitefinity so unique is that it allows businesses to easily engage and retain visitors.

Sitefinity delivers the appropriate insights needed to understand a visitor’s journey throughout your website and includes an easy drag-and-drop interface that allows you to create, manage, and design content more efficiently.

If you want to create a multi-channel experience for your users and often receive large volumes of website traffic, then Sitefinity is the CMS platform for you. Its key features include email marketing templates that are perfect for keeping visitors updated and interested in your latest products and services. Additionally, the platform allows for the creation of a responsive design and a social media manager that will oversee your accounts. This includes social media platforms such as Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more.

8. Typo3

Typo3 landing page

Typo3 offers enhanced scalability and is better suited to enterprise-level websites. Its uniqueness as a CMS platform stems from its ability to separate the web front-end from the administration interface. This separation makes it more difficult for hackers to access or disrupt the website’s properties.

Typo3 will automatically resolve security issues and provide excellent flexibility so that both small and large businesses can create the perfect website for their brand. 

However, while Typo3 comes with many benefits, it’s important to remember that it is relatively more technical than other CMS platforms. Therefore, it may be complicated to set up for non-technical users.

Choosing Typo3 means gaining an affordable CMS as the platform is free unless you purchase a web hosting service or a custom domain. Additional key features of Typo3 include its ability to support multiple websites and languages, a smart content management system that allows you to create and deliver content throughout various digital channels, and digital marketing services that form consistent and clear brand messaging.

9. Drupal

Drupal landing page

Drupal is a flexible CMS that is often utilised by a vast pool of developers, marketers, and agencies. However, suppose you possess only fundamental experience with CMS marketing. In that case, you can still easily use Drupal to create a site from a template and handle large volumes of data and traffic.

Drupal is geared towards developers and has a solid reputation for security within its open-source platform. While a Drupal site is easy to customise as there are thousands of themes and modules to choose from, you will still require some understanding of PHP, HTML, and CSS to take advantage of everything Drupal can offer.

If you’re a developer looking for the right content management system, Drupal is a great option.

10. Magnolia

Magnolia landing page

Magnolia is an all-in-one system used to manage multi-site, multi-language, and multi-channel digital practices. This content management system is best for large enterprises, start-ups, and e-commerce websites.

Key features include its out-of-the-box functionality, which allows you to customise based on your business needs. Additionally, it is easy to use even though the interface is not as intuitive as other CMS platforms. To ensure users understand the system, Magnolia offers a series of tutorials to help you get started. It is also completely customisable and operates on a quoted pricing model based on your individual business needs.

Find Your Perfect CMS System

Whether you’re looking for the best CMS for SEO or an e-commerce CMS builder, our top 10 list for 2022 will help. When it comes to knowing how to choose a CMS that fits your business, it’s always best to do your research. There are plenty of CMS platforms; however, choosing the right one will inevitably skyrocket your business efforts.

CTA: Are you searching for more digital marketing expert tips and tricks? Whether you’re starting a small business or running a large-scale company, the team of digital strategists at First Page are always here to help. Contact us today for more information on CMS platforms and digital marketing strategies.